Cass City native making her dreams come true

TRACI ANDERSON

Published 1:13 pm, Monday, April 25, 2016

Well, meet 25-year-old Jaime Englehart, a native of Cass City, a 1998 Cass City High School graduate, and now a recording artist with an album under her belt. Now you can say you've met someone who's made her childhood dreams come true.

Englehart, who lives in Caro, said music always has been a major part of her life. While growing up, she said she was "bounced around a lot between different uncles and aunts, grandparents, and other people," and music helped her deal with the frustration and depression.

"Music was the only thing I've ever really taken to," she said. "I believe (music) saved my life and gave me the will to survive."

She sang in junior choir in church, but what she really enjoyed was making up her own material.

"I was pretty snappy at making things up off the top of my head, probably because I had such an active imagination," she said. "I would make up songs and stand in the middle of the road pretending I was having a concert. The trees and weeds were my audience of fans screaming for me. I used this old wooden potato masher for a mic."

While she knew she liked to write songs and poetry and she liked to sing, she wasn't sure what direction she wanted to go in until she was 12 and developed an interest in hip hop. She would "freestyle" rap to her friends on the playground.

She said she was inspired by musical artist Mariah Carey's story, and she's always admired hip hop artist Monie Love and various other female rappers.

Englehart's music aspirations became more vivid thanks to her sixth grade teacher, Mr. Pasant.

"He was the first person in my life to tell me I could do anything or be anything in life, as long as I put my heart and mind to it," she said.

However, frustrations still abounded.

"I was in a fishbowl," she said. "Coming from the small area that I did, I had no idea how to get started. I was a broke, young teenaged dreamer with no clue."

In 2001-2002, she made a demo CD at Full Score Music in Cass City. Manager Bob Douglas, who had a studio in the back of the store, helped her produce the demo, which included six songs.

Even with her demo, Englehart knew she had to go farther. After she started working for Heartland Home Health Care, she heard about someone named Chris Martin of Foundation Records in Bay City and got his phone number.

She had her doubts, however, as to whether or not she should call and pursue it.

"I held on to his number for months," she said.

Finally, she called him in 2003. She found out that he wasn't only a producer - he was the chief executive officer of Foundation Records, a major record company like Sony.

"I thought the demo was clever," Martin said. "I thought, 'What would happen if some (good) production value was put behind it?'"

Martin said he and Englehart gave her sound a "musical makeover."

"The product started to evolve and change; it became more appealing," he said.

In July 2003, Englehart and Martin started putting together what would become her first album, "The Girl Next Door," set to be released in mid-June. They worked in the studio three days a week, three hours a day, for seven and a half months.

Martin said Englehart has a developmental contract with Foundation Records.

"It's a few elements short of a major contract," Martin said. "(With a developmental contract), there's limited distribution and no radio play, but it's nothing to sneeze at."

He said a major contract could be in her future.

"We'll see where it goes. We want her to develop into an artist first. I'd never throw someone to the wolves," Martin said.

Creating her first album was a magical experience for Englehart.

"The best part was creating music and watching it come to life - watching my lyrics take shape," she said. "All 11 songs (on the album) are above and beyond what I expected."

She said when she writes a song, she has an idea of how she wants the tone of the music to sound. However, she didn't play an instrument, which can make it more difficult to convey what she wanted musically for her songs.

"I took piano lessons when I was 8, but it didn't go well," she said.

Luckily for her, Martin's expertise made the process go very smoothly.

"Chris made a great, comfortable atmosphere (for me)," she said. "It was awesome. He knew just what I wanted. It was like he was inside my head."

So just what is the sound of Englehart's CD?

"This is not your average hip hop," Englehart said. "It's changing the scope of what hip hop is. Hopefully people will have an open mind and listen to it."

"It's a refreshing new look on the world of hip hop," Martin concurred. "We didn't want to form her sound around anything already on the radio because that's done so much already."

Her sound is an ear-pleasing recipe of spunk, wit, playfulness, and tenacity mixed with the fun sounds of hip hop, dance pop, soul/R&B, and funk. It's not boastful or lewd or graphic. The music is all original - no samples of other songs are used.

Englehart raps and sings on the album. She sings/raps all of the background vocals, as well.

"A lot of it is me twisting it up, saying things in a different, humorous way," she said. "Every song hits on a different angle, on all different parts of my personality. With every song, I try to have a good time with it."

The first single to be released will be "Mixed Drinks," a fun, party time song that doesn't necessarily encourage drinking.

Englehart said she likes to write songs that are different from what's on the radio. She said if someone says she can't write about something, that makes her want to write about it even more. In fact, she wrote the cleverly coy title track "The Girl Next Door" on a dare.

"I could write a song about anything. Pick a subject, and I'll write about it. I could write a song about a refrigerator if you asked me to," she said with a chuckle.

She said sometimes, a song comes to her spontaneously, and she carries a tape recorder with her so she can record her musical thoughts right away.

While several of the songs are upbeat, the album has a serious side, such as with the song "The Sunshine."

"It has a heartfelt meaning behind it. It's about me coming out of a tough time in my life … and seeing the light," she said.

She said she's been getting good feedback so far from people who have heard the CD.

"I've gotten a good vibe from all age groups," she said.

Englehart said for so long, her main focus was getting into a studio and doing a CD. Now that her first CD is done, there's something else she needs to do that's very important.

"Chris told me I need to market (my CD)," she said. She has books on the music industry to help her in the learning process.

"This is something I wasn't prepared for," she added. "It's stressful, but it's a good stress. It's nothing that will make me turn and run."

She said she will start with stores in the local area and expand from there. Local stores include Thumb Home Real Video in Bad Axe, Full Score Music and Videomation in Cass City, and The Entertainer in Caro.

Englehart has her own website where people can order her CD and find out information: www.jaimesdoor.com.

She recently received a great opportunity to get herself and her music in front of more people. R & B artist Chilae, also on the Foundation Records label, offered to have her be an opening act for some of his shows after listening to her demo.

"That's a feather in her cap," Martin said.

More plans to market Englehart's first CD are in the works. Englehart is preparing to do a July 30 show with Chilae at Davenport University in Caro. She's currently auditioning dancers ages 21 and up.

She also plans to do a music video for the single "Mixed Drinks."

"I need to find some investors (for the video)," she said. "It will be fun. I have some crazy ideas."

Englehart may perform with Chilae at an upcoming concert in Toronto, as well.

While Martin and Englehart want the album to be successful, they don't want things to be too rushed.

"We'll take it a month at a time. Every month is very crucial," Martin said.

While she hasn't had to move to a big city so far, it's not out of the question for Englehart.

"If I have to move, I will - whatever my calling is," she said.

Englehart is very happy and excited about where she's at right now in her life.

"I'm most proud of the fact that I had a dream and I didn't let a thing put me down. I had patience with it," she said. "It's a puzzle that has been piecing together like magic."

While she's received some discouragement, she's also received great support from several people, including her best friend, Sandi Smith of Pigeon.

"She's been my rock. She believes in me. She's like a sister," Englehart said.

Englehart said while she's dealt with her share of pain in her life, she wouldn't change a thing because it's led her to who she is and what she's accomplished.

"A lot of hard work went into this CD," she said. "This is about a dream that's defined who I am. It makes me happy. I'm doing exactly what I want to do, and not everyone can say that."

She said she's not looking to do this as a get rich quick scheme, and even if she doesn't become nationally known, she'll still be happy.

"This isn't about fame and fortune," she said. "I've done (this CD); I'm already successful. I gave it everything I had and I didn't hold back."

"She's a diamond in the rough," Martin said. "She's very driven and serious about her work. She has a magnetic personality. She genuinely wants to be here. She's not just caught up in the moment. This is where her heart is at. If things line up, there's no stopping her."